Power Rangers GPX, Part 1 REDUX
by DChan87
Summary: A re-written and edited version of "Power Rangers GPX, Part 1". Five young people are called to Tokyo to fight off an alien invasion. They'll be tested to the best of their abilities to see if they are worthy of the title "Power Rangers".
1. Start Your Engines, part 1

Power Rangers GPX, episode 1: Start Your Engines, Part 1

In the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, a lone sergeant walked quickly through the hallways. His urgent pace was rude to some of the others, but he had no time to stop. He needed to find his commanding officer. And he wasn't the only one in a hurry. Something was going on and the whole building was in a slight rush. He eventually found the room he was looking for. After gaining entry clearance, he stepped inside.

The meeting of top brass paused as Sgt. Grant entered. He walked over to one of the officers, an African-American colonel. The colonel nodded and dismissed Sgt. Grant. The colonel looked at the other officers.

"What's the situation?" The general at the head of the rectangle table asked.

"The President has given the go-ahead to begin the Project," said Col. Alan Greene. "The Japanese government has given us the authority to operate there." He held out 11 folders.

"What about the operatives?" A Major asked.

Col. Greene, whose curly black hair was done in a crew cut, looked over the folders. "We'll go with the Top Five," he said.

"Top Five?" one officer asked. "What is this, an IndyCar race?"

"The best five candidates we trained," said Col. Greene. 'They should be able to handle this."

"What are you going to do?" The general at the head of the table asked. "Are we going to have to keep this under wraps?"

"That's not my concern," said Col. Greene. "Protecting the planet is. The Operatives will be sent their invitations and I expect them to arrive in a month."

"I hope you know what you're doing Greene," said the lead general. "And I assume the Operatives will be brought to Tokyo."

"They will," said Col. Greene. "And again, these are among the best Operatives we trained. They will perform to their highest duties."

"How can we trust these Operatives to stop this invasion?" A general asked. "What if Congress finds out?"

"Again, that's none of my concern," said Col. Greene. "The Project will be a success."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

_One month later _

_Narita International Airport, Japan_

The passengers disembarked off a trans-Pacific flight from Los Angeles. A few of them went to find their families, others not. For some, this was their first time in Japan or any foreign country. Close to the end, two others came off the flight. Like many passengers, they didn't look Japanese.

"Gah, my neck!" One traveler said as he put his suitcase down. "I hate long flights."

"Suck it up Sean," his travel companion said in an Irish accent. "At least _you _didn't have to fly from Dublin to New York to LA."

"Okay, I'll give you that," said Sean. "So we're in Tokyo, now."

"Not exactly," said the Irishman. "We're in the Chiba prefecture."

"Right," said Sean. He took off the Chicago Blackhawks hat on his head and ran his fingers through his finger-length brown hair. His companion had fuzz on his head. Sean appeared in his late teens-early twenties while the traveling companion appeared older. "Ugh, I need a shower."

"Then let's go," said the Irishman. Sean picked up his carry-on bag and followed his companion out.

In another part of the airport, a young woman around Sean's age stepped off a flight from Rio de Janeiro. Unlike the two fair-skinned men, she had a more coffee-with-cream-colored skin tone and dark brown hair, bordering on black and tied in a poyntai, going down to her shoulder. This lovely woman with an athletic physique picked up her bags and headed for customs.

At the same time, a bullet train inbound from Kyoto carried three special passengers; a young man around Sean's age, a girl, presumably his sister, looking outside nervously, and an older man. These three, however, were Japanese. "Miyazawa-san," said the older man. The young man looked at him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Destiny Toji-san," said Miyazawa. "Destiny."

Back at the airport, Sean was doing a headdesk as the older customs official reviewed his and his companion's passports. "Come on!" He groaned.

"Hold on," said the older man.

"At least Irish customs are better," said the Irishman.

"Sean O'Callahan," said the customs official. Sean gave him a look with his brown eyes framed by a slender face. Like the woman, he had an athletic build n(albeit covered up by a green track jacket), for good reason. The customs official nodded, "And Kevin O'Donnell." Kevin, who is Sean's companion nodded. He was a couple of inches taller than Sean and had a more rounded face. "O'Callahan, 5 feet, 11 inches, 175 pounds," Sean groaned. "And O'Donnell, 6 feet 1 inch, 190—"

"GIVE US THE FUCKING PASSPORTS AND LET US IN THE COUNTRY! ! !" Sean snapped. Kevin tapped his shoulder and pointed at the people waiting in line. Sean blushed and turned away. However, this did give the customs official a clue and he stamped their passports.

"Welcome to Japan." He said. Sean mouth a 'thank you.'

Meanwhile, the woman, named Maria Aparicio, had less difficulty with the customs. The customs official stamped her Venezuelan passport. However, when he mentioned Hugo Chavez it earned a dirty look from her. The official nodded in understanding and gave her passport back.

After claiming her luggage, she walked outside into the late-May mid-afternoon sun to where the pick-up area. She just happened to look to her left when she noticed too people arguing over something. Curious, she walked over to see what was going on.

"It's this one! The Sakura Park Tower!" said the one in the green jacket.

"The Hilton!" said the bigger one. Maria rolled her eyes.

"_Hola_," she said the two turned around. The one in the green jacket certainly looked interested.

"Um, hi," he said. "Can I help you?"

"You need to find your hotel, don't you?" The two nodded. She took the paper they had with them and took out her iPhone. The one in a grey shirt sighed.

"Why didn't I think of that?" He asked.

"It's the Prince Park Tower near the Tokyo Tower," she said.

"Oh, that's nice," said the smaller one. "Hey um, can you come with us?"

"Sean!" Kevin said.

"What?" Sean replied. "I'm being polite!"

"Actually, that's my hotel too," she said. "So I guess I can come with you." Sean gave Kevin a little smile. Kevin rolled his eyes before the limo they called rolled up to the curb.

So now the trio was in the car on their way to Tokyo. Maria decided it was time to break the ice once they were a good distance from the airport. "So are you two friends or something?"

"Yep," said Sean. "Our dads were friends and so every time my dad visited his we would hang out."

"So where are you from?"

"Chicago, Illinois," said Sean.

"An American," she said flatly. "And you?"

"Dublin," Kevin said in his Irish brogue.

"An Irishman," she said in an impressed vocal tone. Sean scoffed and looked back out the window. "I might as well tell you I'm from Caracas."

"Where is that?" Kevin asked.

"Venezuela, you _idiota!_" she said. Sean snickered. "It's the fucking capital!"

"Sorry!" said Kevin.

"But I've been going to university in Brazil," she finished.

"Shut up, Sean! So, what are you doing here?" Kevin asked.

"I'm here for a job opportunity," she said. "NHK invited me here for a summer internship. What about you?"

"Hockey," said Sean. Maria looked at him strangely. "I know what you're thinking, and yes, I can take a hit!"

"So what's the team?" Maria asked.

"Tokyo Katanas of the East Asia Hockey League," said Sean. It should be noted that team and league are fictional. "It's not the NHL or even the ECHL, but it's a step in the right direction."

"MMA training and a teaching job," said Kevin. "I received an invitation from a school here."

"How?" Maria asked.

"E-mail." Well, duh.

"So did I," she said. "I found out it was legit, they were looking for interns!"

"Same here," said Sean. "Quite a coincidence, isn't it?"

"I suppose," said Kevin. "I just need something to do after serving in the IDF."

"That probably didn't have anything to do with us," said Sean. "But I wonder… maybe this might have something to do with learning military shit since we were kids."

"Like learning martial arts, military strategy, shooting, et cetera, et cetera while staying normal kids," Maria asked.

"Pretty much," said Sean. "I took shotokan karate for years. What about you, Kev?"

"Judo and then MMA," said Kevin. "And it should be noted that I served in the Irish Defense Force. Maria?"

"Brazilian jiu-jitsu," she replied. "But, it might just be coincidence… Unless it has something to do those robots that started appearing."

"Whatever," said Sean. "I beat some up in Michigan a few weeks ago. They don't scare me."

"Great, a cocky one," Maria muttered.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Have they arrived?" Col. Greene asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he said. "Keep monitoring the situation. We've heard reports of robots in Tokyo."

"Yes, sir."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"_Ay dios mio_." Maria said once the trio entered the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo. The twisted steel of Tokyo's modern skyline came into view. Hidden by that twisted steel was traditional Japanese architecture. It blended perfectly with the modern and post-modern architecture that makes Tokyo one of the most unique cities on Earth. At the same time, the late afternoon sun gave it a bright glow.

Once inside this steel jungle the sea of neon left the trio dumbstruck. It was obvious to anyone who lived in Tokyo that these three were newcomers. "Hey, um, where's our hotel supposed to be?" Kevin asked in a moment of clarity.

"I think in Minato," said Sean. "Where are we?"

"Shibuya," said the driver. Sean scoffed and sat back in the seat.

"Man this su—" he froze. "Stop the limo!" he said.

"Why?" The driver.

"Just do it! There's some robots out there!"

"Where?" Kevin asked. "Right there!"

"What are you doing?" Maria asked.

"Gonna beat the crap out of those robots," Sean said, about to get out of the limo. "They're the same things I beat in Michigan!" He was itching for a fight. Maria groaned while Sean climbed out. Kevin shrugged and jumped out, leaving an infuriated Maria in the car.

Meanwhile, the killer robots sent the pedestrians running. The mechanical sounds and movements combing with their inhuman faces made for effective psychological warfare. Just imagine: blank faces, red "eyes", black-and-gray bodies, merciless hunting, nasty-looking swords and guns, and just general nastiness.

As the crowd of people ran, the robots cornered a group of high school-aged girls. They cowered in fear as the inhuman robots advanced on them, pointing their blades at the trio. They could not run; they were frozen in fear. They tried to call out for help; but nothing came out of their mouths. They shook. They feared the end was about to come for them.

Just then, one robot felt something tap its shoulder. It turned around and saw Sean. "Hi," he said before—_POW! ! ! _

Sean punched the robot in its artificial jaw. The robot's head exploded into various parts and gears. Sean flexed his fingers while Kevin cracked his knuckles. The other robots noticed this and turned to the two. "WHO ELSE WANTS SOME? !" He said in a hot-blooded (albeit kind of subdued) tone. The robots accepted his challenge and attacked.

It was no contest; not in favor of the robots, no siree, but in favor of Sean and Kevin. The sounds of _kiais _and the breaking of the robot bodies filled the air. The people on the street watched in stunned silence while they beat the crap out of the robots. A few cell phone cameras popped out while they beat up on the robots.

Kevin found himself in a precarious situation when one robot grabbed him from behind. However, he grabbed the robot and threw it to the ground. It burst into its basic parts. Just wait until the Metro government sees this!

They finished off the rest of the robots. The crowd watching cheered while Sean wiped off his hands and Kevin made a bicep polishing gesture (given where he's from, there's probably another reason for that). In between the cheers and pats on the back, the duo was "glomped" by the girls they saved. "_Domo arigatou!_" they said.

"Uuhhh," Sean drew it out before making a realization: He and Kevin didn't speak a damn word of Japanese! "Crap, what'd she say?"

"Thank you!" said one of the girls. Okay, that helped.

"You're welcome, pretty lady!" Sean's mood had changed. "Say, you got a phon—hey, come on, man!"

"Forget it!" Kevin said as he dragged Sean away.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Col. Greene scoff-laughed and shook his head at the recent news report. "A couple of youngsters—"

"I see what's going on," said Col. Greene. "That one in the baseball cap is a cocky one."

"I think that one looks familiar," said the soldier who was talking to the colonel. "Someone who looks like him fought similar robots in Michigan."

"Really?" Col. Greene asked. "Well, that's interesting."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Well, what'd you think?" Sean asked as he got back in the limo.

"Not too shabby," said Maria. "But I could have done better."

"Hey, you didn't want to come," Sean reminded. "So it's your fault if—"

"_¿Por qué no te callas?_" she interrupted, leaving him flabbergasted. Kevin burst into laughter.

"Ah, well," he said after he unfroze himself. "We just performed a public duty. You should be thanking us."

"You or your ego?" Maria asked.

"Shut up Kevin," he said.

"Don't worry," Kevin said after he stopped laughing. "He's a good person. Just give him some time."

"I'll see what I can do," said Maria.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

The young man introduced on the bullet train from Kyoto is named Daisuke Miyazawa, son of the ultra-wealthy Miyazawa family. He's roughly the same age as Sean (if a couple months older). He's got black hair, but unlike Sean's more casual hair, it was cut short and parted on the side as if he was going to a job interview. He was also a little less toned than Sean. His black eyes watched the screen, which showed Sean and Kevin's little spat with the robots.

Next to him was his little sister Hitomi. The 18-year-old (who somehow managed to get out of high school!) watched the news report, too. She had a much less business-like appearance, with brown highlights in her hair, a slightly lighter complexion and rounder eyes. She has been mentioned as resembling a J-Pop singer. "Where are they from?" She asked.

"One looks like an American," said Daisuke.

"An American?" Hitomi asked. "Aren't they all blond?" Apparently, she's never seen an American before.

"No," said Daisuke. "You've seen others before, they're not all blond."

"Oh, that's right," she said. "Do you want to go out?"

"No," he said in a cold tone. Hitomi made a sad face, while Toji-san, their bodyguard, let out a sigh.

"Young lord, that's not a way to treat your sister," he said.

"My apologies," said Daisuke.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Okay, easy with that bag, it's got my hocke—what are you—OH, COME ON, ARE EVEN TRYING TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT THING! ? Those are my favorite hockey sticks, if you…"

"What's wrong with him?" Maria asked.

"He's just obsessed with hockey," Kevin muttered. "Sean, just forget about it!"

"He could have broken my sticks!" Sean shouted. Kevin facepalmed.

"Just watch the language, there's little kids around," he said.

"Quit arguing and come inside so we can check in, already!" said Maria. "I need a bath!"

"Okay!" Sean said as he picked up his hockey bag. "Come on, Kev, let's go."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

After checking in, the trio went to their rooms, with Sean and Kevin sharing a room. After a long elevator ride, they stepped out into the hallway and went to where the room was. Once they opened the door, they stood in amazement. "Holy crap," said Sean.

"Wow," said Kevin. "I love it!"

"I've never had a room like this!" Sean said, dropping his hockey bag like a cheap backpack.

The room was a luxury suite with an LCD TV and a refrigerator. Sean looked around, noticing a separate bedroom, the living room and a kitchen. The usual hotel room amenities were also included. This room is listed as the "Park Suite Room" on the hotel's website.

Then Sean went over to the big glass window and looked out. It had a fantastic view of the city. Sean's jaw dropped as he gazed out at the park in front of the Tokyo Tower. "Oh, man, wait till my moms and dad see this!"

"Take a picture," Kevin laughed. Sean, of course, did, take a cell phone picture.

"I'm going to put this on Facebook," he said. "Oh, right, I have to take a shower… and shave, I got some light fuzz," he said, referring to his young adult facial hair.

"It's barely noticeable," said Kevin. Sean ignored him and walked into the bathroom. He came out 25 minutes later combing his hair and stroking his now-smooth face.

"Where do you want to eat?" Sean asked.

"The Brise Verte," said Kevin. "It's on the 33rd floor."

"Sounds good," said Sean.

The restaurant was only a quarter-filled by the time they got there, but it didn't matter. The maître d' led them to their table, but that changed when they noticed a certain Venezuelan woman. "What are you doing here?" The tone she asked was not angry.

"We saw you," said Sean. "You mind if we sit with you?

"Go ahead," she replied as the two sat down.

"So," said Sean, "What do you think of the place?"

"I love it," she said.

"So do I," said Sean. "By the way, are you—"

"No, I am not interested in you," she said. Kevin tried (badly) to stifle his laughter.

"Anyway, let's move on," he said.

"I heard about more robot attacks," said Maria. "I'm starting to think something's going on."

"Those robots certainly weren't like the usual robots," said Kevin. "There was no oil in their bodies. They seemed almost… crystalline."

"Still, they're easy to beat," said Sean. "I can take 'em."

"Really?" Maria asked.

"Hey, I'm here to play hockey," he said. "Right now, I don't care about these robots!"

"You should care," Maria muttered.

"Sorry about him," said Kevin.

"I just want to get into the NHL," said Sean. Maria looked at him. He looked forlorn and desperate, like this was something he truly wanted. She did have to give him that.

"We all have our dreams," said Maria. "But I wish you wouldn't be so selfish about it."

"I'll help people," said Sean. "I just want my chance."

Daisuke was also staying at the hotel. Of course, he had no idea the foreign trio was here. Tokyo and the Prince Park Tower didn't impress him; he's stayed there before. He was in the mood for a snack and decided to have a commoner's candy bar at the vending machines. When he arrived, he noticed someone struggling with the vending machine. "Come ON!" The person growled.

"What are you doing?" Daisuke asked.

"This fucking machine won't give me my pop!" the person replied. Daisuke tapped him on the shoulder and pointed at the sign.

"Can't you read that?" He asked.

"Uh, no!" the person replied, matter-of-factly. "I can't read Japanese!"

"My apologies," said Daisuke. "But it says it's out of order."

"Oh," said the person. "Fuck it." He put the Yen coin in another machine and got his Pepsi this time. "By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Daisuke Miyazawa," he said. "And yours?"

"Sean O'Callahan." He held out his hand. Daisuke paused before shaking it.

"I think I've seen you before," said Daisuke.

"Really?" Sean asked.

"Yes, you look like the person who fought a horde or robots today."

"I was on the news?" Sean asked. "Nice. How'd I look?"

"Your form was a sloppy," said Daisuke. Sean frowned.

"Whatever," said Sean. "You know, you kind of come across as rude."

"So do you," said Daisuke. Sean didn't take too kindly to this and left.

"Oh, by the way, why are you here?" He asked.

"I prefer not to speak about that," said Daisuke. Sean shook his head and left. "By the way, why are you here?"

"I'm here to play hockey!" Sean shouted back.

"You won't," Daisuke muttered.

"What'd you get?" Kevin asked once Sean returned to the room.

"Just a Pepsi," said Sean. "What'd I miss?"

"Just some hockey matches," Sean stood in shock. "Playoffs, too."

"You're lying!" he said. "I saw those matches!"

"Okay!" Kevin chuckled.

"Anyway, I met someone downstairs," said Sean. "He didn't talk much, though. He just helped me with the vending machine."

"Did you ask him if he got an e-mail?" Kevin asked. "I've been thinking those e-mails, the robots and our pasts are somehow connected."

"That's a hell of a stretch," Sean said as he sat down on the couch. "Maybe it's just a coincidence."

"I don't know," said Kevin. "I've got a strange feeling about this."

"Fine time to have those feelings," Sean muttered before taking as sip of his pop. He wasn't going to let anything bother him.

That changed the next morning. He was awoken by someone knocking on the door. "Mmm, mom, I'm coming," he said in a tired voice. The knocking continued. Sean pulled the covers over his ears. "Mom, I'm trying to sleep!"

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! _"O'Callahan-san!"

Sean's eyes shot open. _Shit, I'm still in Tokyo! _He thought. Raising his head and showing off his messy bed-hair, he slid out of the covers. Kevin was still sleeping in his bed. Dressed in a white t-shirt and a pair of gym shorts, he walked out of the bedroom to the room's door. He opened it up find a hotel staff member.

Sean was still a little asleep when the staff member said, "Are you Sean O'Callahan?"

"Yeah," he said with a yawn.

"Is Kevin O'Donnell with you?"

"He's asleep," said Sean. "Can I take a message?"

"Take these," the staff member said as he shoved a pair of envelopes in Sean's hands. He didn't have a chance to do anything else. The staff member walked away. Sean shrugged and walked back inside. He looked at the envelopes and tossed the one with Kevin's name on his bed.

He opened the one addressed to him as he sat down on his bed. At first, he was still fatigued. Then he saw what was written.

"_To Sean E. O'Callahan—_

_You are to come to an undisclosed location at 1300 hours Tokyo time. The address has not been written in this letter, due to the possibility of anyone seeing this message. A ride has been provided for you and will pick you up at a designated time and place. The place is at the hotel you are staying at. The time will be given to you when you receive a text message telling you that your escort has arrived. If you do not come, there will be consequences._

_Signed, Anonymous."_

Sean's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. Was this a threat? He dropped the letter and it silently landed on the carpeting. He didn't move. "Sean?" He heard Kevin say. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," said Sean.

"What do you think it means?" Kevin asked.

"I don't know," said Sean. "But it's going to be a hell of a ride."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

End chapter

Okay, here's the deal: I'm definitely re-writing the first 4 chapters of _GPX. _For the most part, I'm going to edit the next 12 episodes. I wanted to streamline the prose and plot because the first version is kind of plodding. I hope you like it!


	2. Start Your Engines, Part 2

Power Rangers GPX, episode 2: Start Your Engines, Part 2

Sean took a deep breath. He tried to clear his thoughts. His attempt at meditation was failing and he didn't have to be told that. It had been four hours since he'd gotten the letter. It would be another half hour before the text message arrived. Just waiting for the inevitable was enough to turn him into a shivering mess. Kevin tried to keep calm, but his mind was filled with the possibility their presence in Tokyo might be linked to the robots.

As for Maria she tried to calm herself with some Tai Chi. She even tried meditation. But no matter what she tried, she could not stop the heart beats. Just like Kevin, her head was filled with the robots and her trip to Tokyo. There are times when things are pure coincidence, but she felt this wasn't the case. No, something was different.

However Daisuke seemed completely relaxed. He did seem to try to keep the façade of anxiousness, though. Hitomi was scared stiff, though. She was trying to keep calm, taking a few deep breaths. But it came out more like hyperventilating. Daisuke looked at his little sister. Toji-san put his hand on Hitomi's shoulder. "It will be alright, young lady," he said.

"Try to stay calm Hitomi," said Daisuke.

"I'll try," she said with a shaky voice.

"GAAH!" Kevin looked up at Sean who was seconds away from trashing the room. "FUCK THIS!"

"Fuck what?" Kevin asked.

"Fuck this wait!" said Sean. Kevin knew the American's hot blooded and hot-headed attitude would be a problem.

"Sean, relax!" he said.

"I can't, that's the problem!" Sean replied. Kevin scoffed and sat back on the couch. Determined to get Sean to relax, he turned on the TV. He surfed through the channels before finding an English-language channel. However, the subject being covered wasn't what he was expecting. Images of those robots filled the screen.

"_Reports of robot attacks are starting to increase,_" said the reporter. "_Areas in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas are swamped by strange robots. Authorities have no explanation._

"_At the same time, UFO sightings are starting to increase. Just yesterday, the United States Air Force scrambled two F-16s to intercept one over New Orleans. The Pentagon has no comment on the situation._"

"Shit," said Sean. He wasn't the only one watching. Maria, Daisuke and Hitomi also had the report on their TV screens.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:

_Meanwhile, in space,_

"Look at them," said a very sinister voice in the black. "Ignorant bastards, I can't wait to SMASH THEM!"

"Calm yourself," said a soft, but authoritative voice. "You will have your chance to destroy them."

"But they have begun to notice," said another one, which sounded feminine. "It might be interest—"

"I DON'T CARE! !" the big voice screamed. "I WANT TO SMASH THEM! !"

"But we must be cautions," said the soft voice. "These humans are more technologically advanced."

"I SAID I DON—"

"Calm down!" said another voice. It was very authoritative and it calmed the savage voice. "But, I do believe it's time we announced ourselves. Have we picked a target?"

"There's activity coming from one location," said another voice. "A city called 'Tokyo' in the eastern hemisphere."

"I like it," said the feminine voice. "Let's go there!"

"Very well," said the leader's voice. "Send down an attack force. The day we have waited for has come! The day we reclaim our domain…"

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

_HAWKS WIN—_click!

Sean checked his phone. "One new text message," he said. He also heard a chime coming from Kevin's phone. He ignored it. He opened up the text on his phone and started to read. "Oh boy," he said to himself as he read.

_"The car will be at the front of your hotel at 1230 hours. Be ready."_

Kevin looked at his friend. He was still reading the text. He must have been trying to comprehend the message. Eventually, he looked up at the Irishman. Kevin and Sean had a silent conversation, and Sean seemed to be conflicted. Kevin opened his mouth, but couldn't speak. He looked down at his phone and re-read the text message. Hell, he was wondering how this person got his cell phone number.

Kevin turned back to Sean. Now, his eyes had changed. There was a lit fire in them and it was starting to grow. Kevin looked at Sean for a short time. And then Sean flipped his phone closed. "Let's do it," he said. "I'm nervous, but I want to do this."

"Why?" Kevin asked.

"Destiny," said Sean. "We make our own destiny and we've been given that chance. I say we grab it by the balls." He got up and grabbed his green track jacket. "Let's go."

After stopping to get a quick snack at the hotel's convenience store, they exited the tower onto the front drive. Kevin checked his phone. It was 12:25 Tokyo time. Sean opened up his candy bar and sat down on the curb. He just happened to look to his right when he noticed, "Hi, Maria."

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Waiting for someone," said Sean. "What about you?"

"Waiting for—did you get a letter this morning?"

"Yeah," said Sean. "Why?"

"I did too!" said Maria. "And then I got a text message telling—you got it too!"

"Okay, this is getting weird!" said Sean. "I didn't care about our presence in Japan, because that could be chalked up to coincidence."

"But this is different," said Kevin.

"I take you got it too," someone said from behind them. They turned around. Sean recognized the person.

"Aren't you that Miyazawa guy I met last night?" He asked.

"You must be O'Callahan," said Daisuke. "And who are these commoners?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," said Maria. "But my name is Maria."

"I'm Kevin."

"Daisuke Miyazawa," he said. "This is my sister Hitomi and my bodyguard, Toji."

"Hello!" Hitomi chirped. "It's nice to meet everyone."

"Cheerful, isn't she?" said Kevin.

"_Hola,_" said Maria. "It's nice to meet you too."

"Okay, now that we're introduced, can we find out what in the hell is that doing here?" Sean's question changed as soon as a black SUV with tinted windows rolled up to the curb. It did get the attention of the hotel employees. But once the men stepped out of the SUV, they got scared and turned away. Their mere image was threatening, even to the quintet.

"I need you all to come with me," said one agent. This confirmed their initial suspicions this was the car. Daisuke checked his watch and noted it was indeed, 12:30.

They hesitated. Nervousness fell over them. There was no way of knowing who this guy was or who he worked for. He could be working for the Yakuza, of all people. But it would take one person to change things. And he needed to act.

It happened to be Sean.

He took a deep breath and stepped forward. "What are you doing?" Maria asked.

"I'm grabbing destiny by the throat," he said. "I'm not sure who these guys are, but I'm willing to take the risk."

The others looked at him in utter shock. Did he really just say that? Maria tried to grasp his sudden words. Kevin looked as if he'd heard him say "go Red Wings". Hitomi gasped and Daisuke looked indifferent. However, he too, stepped forward.

"I'm coming too," he said. "Hitomi, are you coming?"

"Um, okay," she said as she stepped forward too.

"I'm not staying behind," said Maria. She too, stepped forward.

Kevin groaned. "Alright! I'm coming!"

"Who's he?" The agent asked once he noticed Toji-san.

"He is my bodyguard," said Daisuke. "He goes where I go."

"Sorry, but he cannot come," said the agent. The other three shrugged, but Daisuke was surprised.

"Why not?" He asked.

"He does not have clearance," said the agent.

"Young lord, do not worry about me," said Toji-san. "I shall take my leave until you need me." Daisuke nodded and turned to the agent.

"Then I shall come, too." He followed Kevin by getting in the back along with Maria. Sean and Hitomi were in the middle of the SUV. Just then, the agent reached back and presented some blindfolds.

"Put these on," he said. It wasn't even a request, but not quite like an order. It was more like an instruction. The weirded-out quintet looked at each other. But the driver wouldn't go anywhere unless they took the blindfolds. Kevin reached forward and grabbed the blindfolds and handed them out to everyone else. They put the blindfolds on and for the next half hour, that was all they would see.

If only it would come sooner. "Where the hell are we?" Sean asked. "I think the Miyazawa girl's asleep."

"We'll be there soon," said the agent, but if only that would calm them down. By now they were getting impatient.

"You already said that," said Daisuke. What was supposed to be a life-changed moment has turned into something to regret. It's like making the high school soccer team but being turned into a bench-warmer. However, adventure is a funny thing. Sometimes, the most mundane things can lead to the extraordinary.

"We have arrived," said the agent. The quintet took of their blindfolds and got out of the SUV. Sean had difficulty, though. The Miyazawa girl had fallen asleep and was resting her head on his shoulder. It was more embarrassing than cute.

She woke up and the two got out. The garage was small. It had an underwhelming effect on the group. "This way," he said. Okay, so this is not the only part of the place (thank you, Captain Obvious). They followed him out.

Now, things became extraordinary. They stepped out of the garage and into a room filled with computers. People dressed in military uniforms scurried about. Monitors displayed strange images. They weren't quite able to get an idea of what was being shown. The agent ushered them into a bigger room filled with even more computers.

The staff stopped and watched these civvies follow the agent. The agent stopped and whispered to a woman in a uniform. "Follow me, please," she said. The group followed her into a conference room where a man wearing United States Army fatigues was waiting for them.

"Welcome," he said. "Forgive the dress; I was in a hurry this morning."

"Okay, what is a US Army officer doing in Japan, off-base?" Sean asked.

"I'll explain that," said the African-American colonel. "Please, have a seat." They did. "My name is Col. Alan Greene, United States Army. About fifteen years ago, SETI detected an extraterrestrial signal. If you need to know, SETI is the project looking for alien life. Well, they found it. At first, they were excited, but then they heard the end of the signal. It was a broadcast. The last words were, 'next target: Earth.

"Well, now they panicked. The United Nations told them to keep quiet about, but they panicked too, looking for some way to stop this threat. Well, a group of engineers and scientists approached them with a plan."

"And what is this plan?" said Sean. "You're not making sense."

"If you were actually in the army I'd have you cleaning latrines with your tongue," said Col. Greene. "Now where was I? Oh, yes. Once this particular Project was chosen, the people in charge found a number of Candidates to operate the end results. They were trained from an early age to become elite super-soldiers… only, they were allowed to be normal children and kept their independence."

"And your point is?" Kevin asked.

"I'm getting to this," said Col. Greene. "The Candidates were trained in martial arts and other military subjects, but kept their status as civilians. These programs were presented as simple after-school programs to fool their families. There were a multitude of these Candidates, but only a few could actually become Operatives."

He gestured to a soldier who brought over some folders. "Let's see here… sorry if this seems strange. Sean O'Callahan; nationality: American. Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois. Former captain of the Chicago Steel junior ice hockey—"

"HOW THE FUCK DID YOU GET MY INFORMATION! ! !" he screamed. "Wait until my Congre—"

"Calm down!" said Col. Greene. "Although, I must admit that does sound like invasion of privacy, so I'll make this quick. Next we have Kevin O'Donnell, from Dublin, Ireland. Daisuke Miyazawa, Kyoto, Japan; Maria Aparicio, born in Caracas, Venezuela, but living in Rio de Janeiro, and Hitomi Miyazawa, also from Kyoto, Japan."

"Aside from the obvious invasion of privacy, what does this have to do with us?" asked Maria.

"Good question," said Col. Greene. "And it has everything to do with why you're here. Oh, and in case you're wondering, I got that information off Facebook."

"Ugh, I need to adjust my privacy settings," said Maria. Sean slammed his head on the table.

"Now then, do you remember taking any strange after-school activities?"

"_Yes,_" they said in unison. They all looked at each other. Then, a look of realization; it was now starting to come together for them.

"We were Candidates," said Maria.

"Correct," said Col. Greene. "As our best Candidates, you have been chosen to operate robotic exoskeletons designed to enhance the user's abilities multifold. You will be Earth's best hope against alien invasion. You will become… Power Rangers." Silence. And then,

Sean started to snicker. He couldn't hold himself and he burst into laughter. Greene rolled his eyes and sighed. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"Of course he does," said Kevin.

"Power Rangers?" He said after getting a hold of himself. "Are you kidding me? That's a TV show!"

"Not this time," said Col. Greene. "Here's some early test footage."

"Is that _spandex_? !" Maria gasped. "That is so stupid!"

"It is not spandex," Col. Greene sighed. "It's a highly-advanced bio-suit wi—"

"I get it, the suit's amazing!" said Sean. "But really, Power Rangers? Can't you be a little mo—"

"Power Rangers is based off a Japanese show," Daisuke interrupted. Sean glared at him.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious!" said Sean. "You know, you're _really _starting to get on my nerves."

"Quiet." Col. Greene said calmly but with enough force to get them to stop. "You don't have to do this. All I want is for you accept the powers—or not—and you'll be on your way out of here."

"The test guy is wearing a motorcycle helmet," said Sean. "Sorry, but it's not gonna happen. I have a hock—"

"There is no hockey try-out," said Col. Greene. "Nor is there a job at NHK, nor is there a teaching job, nor is there a management position. I lied to you, okay? But it was to get you to Tokyo."

"Well then, fuck you!" said Sean. "How can we trust you now?"

"I suppose I deserve that," said Col. Greene. "But please, take these." He gestured to another soldier holding a briefcase. When it was opened, it revealed five watches.

"Hey, free Rolexes," Sean, not one to pass up free luxury, said. He grabbed one (assuming it was legal) and put it on his left wrist. It felt strange, though. But, he shrugged it off. The others soon took the Rolexes. "Are these bribes to keep us silent about this?"

"In a sense," said Col. Greene.

"It's a good one," Maria said with a smirk on her face. She and the others walked out.

Except for Daisuke. He stayed for just a moment. "Am I a leader?" he asked.

"You'll find out," said Col. Greene. With that, Daisuke walked out. Then, a soldier walked up to Col. Greene. He whispered in his ear.

"Sir, we've detected something entering the atmosphere."

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

About a half hour later, the quintet was dumped off somewhere near Shibuya 109. They would have to buy a metro ticket back to Minato. "Losers," Sean muttered.

But now they had nothing to do. "I've got an idea!" Hitomi chirped. "Let's go to Omotesando Hills!" The others stared at her. Except for Daisuke, that is.

"Why do you want to go to the mall?" He asked.

"I don't know," she said, trying to be cute. "I just thought we might find something to eat there!"

"No thanks," said Sean. "Let's get going, I want to go home. My dad and moms are probab—" BOOM! ! ! "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? !"

"An explosion!" said Daisuke.

"I KNOW THAT! !" Sean screamed.

"It came from over there!" said Daisuke. "We must look! Come on!" Everyone except Sean followed him. Sean growled.

"I'm gonna regret this," he said before following them.

The aftermath of the explosion at the Shibuya 109 crosswalk was naturally chaotic. A small number of Metropolitan Police officers cordoned off the area, trying to keep everyone calm. However, even they got scared—a natural reaction—when they saw a large number of robots and one big robot standing in front. The big one looked like a combination between a rhinoceros and a human. A Rhinotaur, if you will.

"Swabots, we've waited a long time for this," he said in a not-so-mechanical-voice. "DESTROY THEM!"

"No!" The Rhinotaur looked behind him to see the quintet lined up like a shooting gallery. "You will not!"

"Who are you, filthy humans?" Rhinotaur shouted.

"My name is Daisuke Miyazawa of Kyoto Ja—"

"Ah, shaddap!" Rhinotaur interrupted. "Swabots, make an example of them, KILL 'EM!" The Swabots charged the group.

Daisuke blocked the first Swabot punch. He countered with a punch right to the face. He ducked as one Swabot swung a nasty sword backhand. He sweep-kicked the robot right out from under its feet. He got back up and looked around. _They are everywhere_, he thought. An attacker jostled him out of his thoughts and he ducked to avoid the Swabot. The vast number of Swabots was starting catch up to him, but he didn't let that change a thing. He just kept fighting.

"HIYYA! ! !" Sean jumped on the shoulder of one Swabot and kicked another one's head off. He landed unleashed a tornado of punches and kicks. But then he felt a powerful blow to the gut. He stumbled backwards and growled. He recovered and countered with a roundhouse kick. He kneed one Swabot and then side-kicked another. He spun around and kicked another in the gut. He was not used to this numerical advantage.

As for Kevin, he just stepped out of the way of one Swabot. He blocked another one's punch and countered easily. He swung a big punch at another Swabot. But instead of breaking up, the Swabot's face was just dented. He only had a second before it punched him. Luckily, he blocked it. He kicked one behind him and threw the first Swabot into a horde of them. He wiped his mouth off. _These robots are stronger than the ones from yesterday_, he thought.

Maria had more problems. Apparently the enemy decided it would be fun to send the stronger robots against her. She ducked out of the way of one Bot's club. She finished it off with a good kick to its back. She blocked a kick and countered with her elbow. She spun around, her ponytail whipping around. She completed this spin with a hard reverse roundhouse kick. She wanted to rest, but the Swabots kept coming.

If you thought Hitomi would be a push-over, forget it. A Swabot swung its sword down at her. She back-flipped out of the way, kicking it in the chin. She mostly played keep-away with herself. But she kicked a Swabot in the chin. She'd have to be offensive if necessary. She cartwheeled and flipped a couple times. But it was becoming clear there were too many Swabots. She could hang on as long as she could, but it became obvious to all of them there were too many.

Sean's face met the pavement after being knocked off his feet. The others also fell one-by-one. Daisuke was (literally) thrown to the ground by several Swabots. Kevin was kicked down. Maria was tripped up and Hitomi found out Swabots can jump. "Is that the best you can do? PATHETIC!" Rhinotaur taunted.

Sean looked up and snarled at the rhino-beast. "Hey Miyazawa!" he said. "You got any ideas, rich boy?" No answer. "Miyazawa!" Again, no answer. "We're looking for leadership, here!"

"I… don't know what to do," Daisuke said. Sean couldn't see it, but Daisuke's face was showing pure terror. Well, the hockey player wasn't pleased one bit.

"FUCK! !"

"Sir, we've locked onto them," said one base soldier.

"Good, prepare to teleport," said Col. Greene. "Get those morphers ready!"

"_Yes, sir!_"

"Teleportation sequence starting… now."

A glow caught Sean's eye. He watched in amazement as the Rolex on his wrist disappeared and turned into something else. A device, shaped like an upside-down bullet with a pair of buttons at the top and five letters going down. Well now, this is a whole other hockey game. "What the hell is this?"

"_Listen to me,_" a voice came through the device. "_Use this device!_"

"Okay, that's all fine-and-dandy, but HOW? !" Sean shouted.

"_Shout 'GPX, Start it Up' and press 'Accel',_" said Col. Greene. "_The rest is up to you._"

"So wait, you mean we don't get to keep the Rolexes?" Sean asked.

"_The Rolexes were fake,_" said Col. Greene. "_But that's not the point!_ _Just use them!_"

"Might as well," Sean remarked. He got up and zipped his jacket down so just enough of his red t-shirt was showing. "HEY! Get up!" He said to the others. They looked at him like he was crazy. "I said GET UP!"

"What are you doing?" Daisuke asked.

"I'm taking command," said Sean. "And I'm desperate enough to try this!" He showed his bracelet. Daisuke's eyes widened.

"Don't you dare," said Daisuke.

"I just did," said Sean. "So all of you GET THE FUCK UP _**NOW! ! ! !**_" Kevin, Maria and Hitomi sprang to their feet. Daisuke was slow to get up. Then Sean turned to Rhinotaur. "HEY FREAK SHOW! ! !" He called. Rhinotaur turned around.

"Back for more?" Rhinotaur taunted.

"That was just the first period!" He said in a hockey reference. He displayed the device on his left wrist. "Now it's time for Period 2! READY! !"

"_READY! !_"

"_GPX, START IT UP! ! !"_

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

To be continued


	3. Start Your Engines, Part 3

Power Rangers GPX, Episode 3: Start Your Engines, Part 3

"That was just the first period!" He said in a hockey reference. He displayed the device on his left wrist. "Now it's time for Period 2! READY! !"

"_READY! !_"

"_GPX, START IT UP! ! !_" They pressed the "Accel" button. There was a flash of blinding light, causing Rhinotaur to shield his eyes. Once the light faded, he and the crowd looked at where the group was.

"I don't feel different," said Sean. "What happe—HOLY SHIT! !" He looked down at his hands to notice a pair of white gloves. Then, he got a look at himself and the others. They all had the same spandex-like stuff on. Well now, this is new.

"_This is the result of Project Ranger_," said Col. Greene. "_The suits you are wearing will increase your abilities multi-fold. You now have the power to beat these guys._"

The color-coded suits (Red, Blue, Green, Yellow and Pink) had white stripes with black piping going down the shoulders and under the arms. They stopped at the gloves (just below the elbow) and waist. The pants were white and the boots in their suits' respective color. The boots and gloves had black rings on them like tires. A black utility belt with a flat-top pentagon belt buckle completed it. The chest had a symbol; a gold-colored motion-font number (1 for Red, 2 for Blue, 3 for Green, 4 for Yellow, 5 for Pink) over a tire. The helmets, as they have been described in previous installments, were a combination of the _Operation Overdrive _and _Turboranger _helmets.

"YES! !" Sean yelled, feeling a rush of adrenaline. It was a feeling of euphoria better than any goal he'd ever scored.

"_That euphoria should be normal the first time you use the suits,_" said Col. Greene.

"This is great!" said Kevin.

"_¡Muy, muy bueno!_"Maria said_. "¡Me encanta esta sensación__!_"

"This is so wonderful!" said Hitomi. "I look so cool!"

But Daisuke was silent. His helmet concealed it, but he felt more than disappointed. He was in the Green suit. Sean was in Red, Kevin in Blue, Maria Yellow and Hitomi Pink. The girls even had little skirts.

"What are you?" Rhinotaur called.

"What are we?" Sean asked. "We're Power Rangers! GPX Red!"

"GPX Blue!" called Kevin.

"GPX Green!" Daisuke called.

"GPX Yellow!" called Maria.

"GPX Pink!" called Hitomi.

"_Power Rangers, GPX!_" They posed and an explosion punctuated the moment.

"Was that an explosion?" Kevin asked.

"So you changed your costume, big deal!" Rhinotaur bellowed. "Swabots, destroy them!" The Swabots charged the Rangers.

"_Rangers, your primary weapon, the Octane Blaster is attached to your belts_," said Col. Greene.

"Got it!" said Sean. "LET'S GET 'EM!"

"_Right_!" They shouted and charged the Swabots. The two groups met in the middle.

Sean delivered a roundhouse kick to an oncoming Swabot. The kick knocked the bot's head clean off. Then Sean kicked a Swabot behind him without his foot touching the ground. The Swabots closed in around Sean, but he drew his Octane Blaster-which looked like a combination between a fuel pump dispenser nozzle and a pistol for some reason-and shot a couple. Another Swabot came at Sean, but he flipped over the robot and shot it literally in the back with his Octane Blaster. In midair, Sean pulled a Matrix-like stunt and shot three Swabots in midair. When he landed, a Swabot came at him, but Sean held out his arm and clotheslined the Swabot, knocking it on its back "I love this thing!" He said before going back to beating more Swabots.

An incoming Swabot brought its sword down on Kevin, but he spun around and then kicked the Swabot in the back. He then grabbed an incoming punch from a Swabot and flipped the bot on its back and then stomped on the robot's chest. But Kevin suddenly felt himself falling backwards as though a rug had been swept out from under him. Turns out a Swabot and managed to knock him off his feet with a sweep kick. But Kevin quickly managed to recover as soon as he hit the ground and punched the Swabot he thought was responsible for the sweep kick. Then he tornado-kicked three Swabots and side kicked another. "I love this!" He said.

Daisuke slashed an incoming Swabot with his GP Saber. He had forgotten about the disappointment he felt earlier and was now concentrating on beating the Swabots and enjoying the euphoria of the suit. A Swabot brought it sword down on Daisuke, but he parried the attack and kicked the Swabot. He slashed at another Swabot, then spun around like a top and struck several Swabots in succession. He stopped long enough to let the robots fall to the ground and fall to pieces. Two Swabots charged Daisuke, but were met by a reverse roundhouse kick from Daisuke, then a sidekick. "I am unstoppable," he said. "You cannot defeat me!"

With two Swabots coming at her and three behind, Maria backflipped behind the Swabots, catching the both of them off guard. The Swabots looked for Maria before she kicked them both, knocking their heads off. One tried to kick her, but she blocked the kick with her own leg, then reverse roundhouse kicking the same robot onto its back. Then in rapid-fire succession, kick, punch, kick, butterfly kick, chop. Five Swabots went down like flies. From there, she kicked both robots and then spun around to counter an incoming Swabot attack, which she easily blocked and countered with a powerful punch. "This is incredible!"

Hitmoi backflipped five times, each time striking a Swabot in the 'chin'. A Swabot swung its sword at her, but she dodged the sword, and countered with a punch to the robot's gut. She acrobatically leaped over two Swabots, and then kicked one Swabot into the other. With three Swabots bearing down on her, she spun around and delivered three kicks in quick succession to each Swabot coming at her. Hitomi's acrobatic style caused the much more ground-based Swabots to become disoriented at her style of fighting. A Swabot again brought its sword down on her, which missed by a mile as she dodged easily and gave it a sidekick in its ribs. "Oooh! If only my mom could see this!" She said.

"Your turn, ugly!" Sean said as he turned his attention to Rhinotaur.

"_You _think you can beat _me_? HA!" Rhinotaur made a "bring it" gesture.

"You asked for it!" said Sean.

"I'll show you!" Rhinotaur shouted. His shoulders opened up. A bunch of missiles appeared.

"Uh oh," said Sean. Rhinotaur fired his missiles.

"Shit! SCATTER!" Sean yelled. The missiles exploded near the Rangers. It sent one or two flying (it was impossible to tell who because of the explosions). The rest scattered. "Dammit!" he growled. "We need a strategy."

"What is it, leader?" Daisuke asked.

"Hey! You had your chance!" Sean replied. "Let's encircle him. I know it's stupid, but we don't have time to strategize over a map! GO!"

"_Right!_" The Rangers surrounded Rhinotaur. Rhinotaur looked around right when Sean jumped at the monster. Sean unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches. The robot was caught off guard and found it hard to defend. But, most of them weren't hitting. But one, a powerful uppercut, did and sent the monster flying.

Rhinotaur got up just as Kevin rushed in. Bent over at the waist, he grabbed onto the monster's waist and wrestled it to the ground like a rugby player. Rhinotaur struggled to get up right when Maria rushed in, leapt in the air and slammed his head onto the pavement. Hitomi finished this melee off by flipping in and kicking Rhinotaur in the chest. Sean finished the job by jumping off a car. Rhinotaur tried to block, but he kicked the cyborg right in the snout.

The cyborg growled as he picked himself up off the street. The Rangers landed and gathered in front of him. "You little bastards!" he growled.

"You're just mad!" Sean replied.

"We've waited millennia for this," said Rhintotaur. "You will not take our prize from us!"

"What prize?" Sean asked. "You expecting a ribbon?"

"DIE!" Rhinotaur fired a pair of laser beams from his eyes. The Rangers scattered and took cover near the Hachiko statue.

"Dammit!" Sean growled.

"Now what are you going to do?" Daisuke asked.

"Hey, I just got on the job!" Sean replied. "Lay off me! Colonel, what can we do?"

"_Use the Scan feature in your visors_," said Col. Greene.

"Scan, huh?" Sean asked. He pressed on the wheel on his helmet, looking for the scan feature. "Found it! … There's a bit of exposed circuitry on his left shoulder," he said.

"Now we're talking," Kevin said as he grabbed his Octane Blaster. The other Rangers did the same and escaped the Hachiko statue. Rhinotaur fired his eye beams, but Maria shot him twice. Sparks exploded from Rhinotaur. Then Kevin let off two shots. Neither hit the exposed circuitry, but did open up some circuitry.

"Wait!" said Sean. "Don't fire until my order." He lowered his pistol and aimed with the HUD in his visor. "Ready! Aim!"

_LOCKED ON_.

"FIRE! ! !"

All five Rangers let off a volley of beam fire at Rhinotaur. The beams sent sparks flying and hit the exposed circuitry. Rhinotaur began to shake violently. The Rangers followed the lead of the bystanders by getting out of the way. But it was only so they could put their blasters back at their sides. They struck a badass victory pose as Rhinotaur exploded.

"YES! !" Kevin shouted. The Rangers' suits disappeared in a flash of colored light. They almost collapsed from the lack of energy the suits gave them, but kept on their feet. Then they heard the roars and cheers of a thankful crowd. They smiled weakly as they acknowledged their audience.

:-:-:-:**Power Rangers GPX**:-:-:-:

"You had to make a scene, didn't you?" Col. Greene asked as they returned to the UN base. The loud cheers and hollering drowned out his words. "Sergeant?"

"Ten… HUT!" The base staff shut up and stood at attention. The Rangers took two seconds to realize what was going on to stand at attention. It's obvious who the civvies are.

"Impressive," said Col. Greene. "It was a little sloppy, but you'll get better. But I think we just showed whomever we're fighting we're not going down without a fight!" The base staff roared before Col. Greene silenced them. "But do not get arrogant. If you do, it will cost you dearly. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," they said.

"I can't hear you," Col. Greene said, channeling his inner R. Lee Ermey.

"YES, SIR! ! !"

"Much better," said Col. Greene. "But, you must also understand; your lives will not be the same. Also, you're going to have to stay in Japan for the time being. I know you're going to be homesick, but this is the only country that has allowed us to operate. I know it's tough, but we don't have a choice. And if you're wondering about the suit designs, the man who designed them happens to be an Arsenal FC fan."

"That makes sense," said Kevin.

"You're dismissed!" said Col. Greene. He saluted the Rangers and they left the room; all except Daisuke. "Do you have a question, Miyazawa?"

"Yes, I do," said Daisuke. Oh, and one other person did stay behind… Sean.

:-:-:-:**PRGPX**:-:-:-:

"I apologize, because I do not understand what you are saying. You say that Rhinotaur was destroyed?"

"What! ? Eltar, how did that happen?"

"They are saying that five humans calling themselves 'Power Rangers' fought Rhinotaur," said Eltar. "They were able to find a weakness and destroyed him."

"Impossible," said the feminine voice. "Rhinotaur was one of our best warriors."

"But he was not sufficient to defeat these 'Power Rangers, Liaria," said Eltar.

"You should have let ME go down!" said the savage voice.

"Oh, Hercuron, you and your muscles!" said Liaria.

"You wench!" Hercuron bellowed.

"Brot—I mean, Emperor Rashon, what must we do?" Eltar asked.

"Unlike the rest of you I am impressed," said Emperor Rashon. "I want to challenge these 'Power Rangers'. After all, we cannot reclaim what is ours without a fight."

"My Emperor," said Liaria.

"Let them try and defeat us!" said Rashon. "Our forces will destroy them!"

:-:-:-:**Power Rangers GPX**:-:-:-:

"That was fun!" Hitomi energetically declared. "I want to do that again!"

"Who gave her the coffee?" Kevin asked. Maria rolled her eyes. "Oi, Sean! Come on te fuck!"

"I'm coming!" Sean replied.

"What's the craic?" he asked.

"Just waiting for someone," Sean replied. Right on cue, Daisuke walked right past them. "Something wrong, Rich Boy?" Sean asked. Daisuke got right in his face.

"Silence," he said.

"Aw, did I make you mad?" Sean asked. "What were you and the Colonel discussin'?" The other three looked at him with surprise, Daisuke glared at him.

"It is none of your concern," said Daisuke.

"Then why did you get upset?" Sean asked. "Come on, spill the beans!"

Daisuke looked at the others before taking a sigh. "I was guaranteed a leadership position," he said. Kevin, Maria and Hitomi all looked surprised, but Sean didn't. "And now this lower-class lowlife is the Red Ranger!"

"Lower-class lowlife! ?" Sean shouted. "Listen buddy, I'm from a nice neighborhood and I happen to be well-liked!"

"Sean," Kevin groaned.

"Well, sorry for you, because you're stuck as the Green Ranger!" said Sean. "I'm Red, now deal with it!"

"You do not understand!" said Daisuke. "My family depended on me becoming leader, and I have dishonored them!"

"Oh, how horrible," Maria deadpanned.

"I'll bet this will cost us in the long run," Kevin muttered. "Now for a change of subject, what are we going to do now? I have a mouth _and _a throat on me!"

"What does that mean?" Maria asked.

"Means he's hungry," said Sean. He checked his cell phone. "Let's get something to eat."

"Let's go back to the hotel, get lunch and then go out for dinner," said Maria.

"Fair enough," said Sean. In their defense, the original had them going out for dinner.

"I know where we can go!" Hitomi added her input to the conversation. "We can go see Godai-san!"

"Who's he?" Sean asked.

"A restaurant owner," said Daisuke. "He serves _chankonabe_, which is what _sumo _eat. He knows our family."

"Sounds good," said Sean.

:-:-:-:**PRGPX**:-:-:-:

"Hitomi-chan!" Hitomi rushed into the arms of 40-something man. This must be him.

"_Konnichiwa, Godai-san!_" Hitomi chirped. Bingo! She said something in Japanese and gestured to the other Rangers who'd just entered. Godai-san turned and bowed to them.

"_Konnichiwa_," he said. "My name Yuusuke Godai. I would like to welcome you to my restaurant."

"How you doin'? The name's Sean." Sean replied as he extended his hand. Godai-san took his hand and shook it.

"I'm Kevin."

"And my name is Maria."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," said Godai-san. He said something in Japanese to Daisuke who only nodded. Godai-san had a round face and a smile that showed he was a friendly man. It also showed that he had no hidden angst; in other words, a genuine smile and a genuine happiness. "Are you all hungry?"

"Hell yeah!" said Sean.

"Very well, then," said Godai-san. "Please, follow me."

About fifteen minutes later…

"… No, a hockey player doesn't have to be some massive, physically imposing beast!" said Sean. "Look at me! I'm tiny, and yet I've skated with guys nearly twice my size and come out unscathed."

"I'm glad you think that way, O'Callahan-san," said Godai-san. "But you should be more careful."

"I appreciate the concern," Sean said before taking a sip of his Budweiser.

"You should be concerned for me," Kevin muttered.

"Kevin, what is Ireland like?" Godai-san asked.

"Cities and a lot o' green," said Kevin. Godai-san just tweaked his eyebrow. "And I see the cities more."

"He's from Dublin," remarked Maria. "But how did you know Hitomi?"

"Hikari and her mother were school friends," said Godai-san. "They've stayed friends even after she married their father."

"I see," said Kevin. "It's like Sean and I."

"I must say Rich Boy's an asshole," said Sean. "He talks about how his family depends on him."

"It's the culture," said Godai-san. "Daisuke was raised very traditionally. Hitomi? She's nothing of the sort."

"How?" asked Maria.

"Her favorite _manga _is _Sailor Moon,_" said Godai-san.

"I'll bet that will come in handy," Sean remarked.

"Well, it appears your food is here," said Godai-san. "Thank you, Hikari." Hikari bowed as she delivered the food to Sean, Maria and Kevin's table and then to Daisuke and Hitomi's.

"That was fast," said Sean. "Yeah, none of us come from what you could call 'traditional households, especially me."

"What do you mean?" Godai-san asked. Sean leaned in and whispered in his ear. His eyes widened in surprise. "Wow," said Godai-san.

"What did he say?" asked Maria.

"He asked me not to say that," said Godai-san. "Now, before you eat, you need to follow what Hitomi says."

"_Itadakimasu!_" she said.

"No thanks, I'll just eat," Sean said as he took a bite of his chicken teriyaki.

"Oh, that was good!" Sean said after finishing the meal.

"I'm going to get used to this," said Maria.

"Same here," said Kevin.

"You can come by anytime you want," said Godai-san. "And if you need to, you can visit my _ryokan _near Mount Fuji."

"What the hell is a _ryokan_?" Kevin asked.

"It is a traditional Japanese inn," Daisuke replied with hostility. Godai-san turned behind him and scolded Daisuke in Japanese.

"Apologies," said Godai-san. "It is a traditional inn. I even have hot springs."

"Hot springs?" Maria asked with excitement. "_¡__Si!_"

"She likes that idea," said Sean.

"I apologize for not sitting with you," Hitomi said as she sat down near the other Rangers. "But I would love to get to know you, and so would Daisuke." He scoffed.

"He doesn't like Sean," said Kevin.

"I could see that," said Godai-san.

"All I want is for the American to respect me," said Daisuke.

"Fuck you!"

"Sean, please do not use such rude language," said Godai-san.

"Why should I?" asked Sean. "Rich Boy here thinks he's better than everyone else."

"Here we go again," Maria muttered.

"I am the son of one of the richest and most powerful families in Japan," said Daisuke. "You must respect me."

"I think you should listen to 'Can't Buy Me Love', by The Beatles," said Sean. "If you think you can buy respect, just listen to that song."

"I do not care," said Daisuke.

"Please, stop," said Godai-san. "Let's have a pleasant conversation."

:-:-:-:**Power Rangers GPX**:-:-:-:

"Aside from that silent feud Sean and Daisuke had, that went pretty well," Maria remarked as they left the restaurant. "And I do want to visit that hot spring!"

"Let's just go back," said Sean. "The sun's going down and I'm tired."

"Agreed," said Kevin. "I hope everyone has enough money for subway tickets on them." They all murmured in affirmation.

One hour later, Sean and Kevin were back in their hotel room looking out at the Tokyo Tower. The events of the day were repeating in their minds. It was certainly an eventful day. Sean looked at his AcceleMorpher. "Things are different," he said.

"How so?"

"I just realized," he paused. "We could die doing this."

"Oh," Kevin sighed. "So what are we going to do?"

"Do we have a choice?" Sean replied. "We have a duty; we have to see it through."

"Do you have any regrets?" Kevin asked. Sean remained silent for a few moments. Then, he turned to Kevin. There was a roaring fire in his eyes, one that surprised Kevin.

"Not a damn one."


End file.
